Introduction
My last encounter with Tannoy speakers left me reluctant to return them,
so positive was my response to them. Those speakers, the
Sensys DC2s,
were full-range floor-standing models using the Dual-Concentric ™ driver and
a super-tweeter extending up to 51 kHz. When I heard that Tannoy had designed
a new entry-level line (complementary, not replacing others in the
catalogue), I wondered what the bookshelf speakers in the line might sound
like. As a family member is considering upgrading the speakers that came
with her 'midi' system, I selected the higher-spec bookshelf pair, the Tannoy Fusion 2. When they arrived, I was happy to see they were the Apple
finish - a good match to the speakers they might be replacing.
General
On unpacking the speakers, I was struck by their size. They were larger than I'd mentally pictured them but still a
comfortable fit for any of the locations I wanted to use for tests and
possible eventual permanent placement. Another positive aspect for the large bookshelf
format is, of course, that this allows plenty of physical volume for the
speaker designers to work with, increasing their degrees of freedom to
optimize for best sound. And they did. These speakers sound very good, and
at an unbelievably low price-point too.
The Design
Fusion 2s are front-ported reflex designs. The cabinets are completely
rigid - a rap on any of the panels with knuckles produces a completely
resonance-free knock. Clearly the internal bracing design and implementation
works well.
I experimented with fitting and removing the foam
plugs supplied
for possible use in the reflex ports. With the plugs out, I felt the bass
was a tad more rounded and extended, but slightly more colored than when the
plugs were in. I would estimate the
differences to amount to less than a dB of change. Tannoy recommends
experimenting and selecting the preferred option - I concur. For what it's
worth, I prefer the plugs in, and that goes for all program material that I
used in my tests.
The starting-point for the design is simple, based on a straightforward
(though excellent!) LF driver and dome-tweeter. So, the acoustic and
electrical design have fewer parameters to play with than with more complex
designs. The fact that the speakers sound so good - and they do - is a real
tribute to the designers.
The
crossover unit is clearly well-matched to the woofer and tweeter, and the whole
thing presented no problems whatsoever in being driven by my Quad.
Provision
is made for bi-wiring and bi-amping. It's good to see substantial links
being provided for use when single-wiring is adopted. The
binding posts have been bored out 4mm to receive suitable plugs directly. I
make the point because I missed the fact initially! I hadn’t noticed that
the sockets are plugged with neat little colour-coded stoppers, as per the
European Electrical Code.
Appearance
Family members have dubbed Tannoy as "Style Gurus"! So, I can take the
speakers as fitting very comfortably in the "domestically acceptable"
bracket. The (removable) front grilles are a tasteful deep ruddy brown,
which is a departure from the traditional charcoal gray. I personally still
prefer the gray, but maybe I'm old-fashioned and just need to get my brain
up to date. I prefer the look with the grilles on, but minimizing the
disruption from drive-unit to ear has to be a good thing when the highest
fidelity is being sought.
Tests
As always, a variety of known material was used. I'm always anxious to
try out the Sarah McLaughlan CD with new speakers, but only after what I consider
more mainstream music. On went Mike & The Mechanics - Beggar On A Beach Of
Gold. The whole of this album comprises ideal test material, and every track
is recorded to an extremely high standard. No tone controls were in use, and
the levels varied from quiet background sound to rather loud. The speakers loosened up during the run-in period and from then
on I made a point of listening for any distortion. Vocals were crisp and
clear, almost as if there had been no electronic chain between us. With
plenty going on in the mix, such as in the title track,
it was still possible to pick out individual voices and instruments, such
was the low interaction between elements in the music. Stereo imaging was
accurate and stable - also borne out by Abbey Road. So, a clean bill of
health at this point.
And so, onto some more specific tests, and out came Sarah McLaughlan's
Surfacing and the track "I Love You" in particular. This track has a
low frequency element which can trip up speakers that are trying too hard and still
failing. Without having heard the track over full-range speakers, I'd have
been content to listen to the track on the Fusions and thought 'that track
sounds terrific, I really like it'. So I played the track with a flat
response from the Quad and indeed thoroughly enjoyed it.
Now the
investigative part. I gave the bass a boost of +2 and tried again. The bass
simply kept on marching down and down, so controlled and smooth - it must
have been way below the nominal cut-off of 48 Hz before there was nothing
left. I presume this 'new' bass must have possessed more distortion than
before the boost, but none was audible to me, even at medium to loud sound
levels. Again, the coloration must have been greater (there's no chance the
bass-boost on the Quad exactly matched the bass tail-off of the speakers),
but I heard no peaks and troughs in the response. The lower sensitivity of
the ear in this region would help in this regard, of course, but then why
wouldn't audio manufacturers capitalize on the human hearing response? It
all makes perfect sense! For the ultimate quality it's right to go for a
no-compromise design which holds onto its neutral response throughout the
audible range, but a bookshelf speaker isn't addressing this market and the
Fusions make the best of whatever compromises were needed in the design
process.
The only other test I performed with tone controls in use was a check on
whether treble boost introduced sibilance or other HF distortion. None was
noticeable but then all the source material was well recorded and the
speakers are flat over the audible range. Again, back with tone-controls set
to 'flat', the only departure from audibly-flat was with some of the George
Harrison "All Things Must Pass" (remastered) vocals. I felt there was a
slight tailing-off in his higher register. I'd never noticed it before but
cannot tell whether the Fusions were being more revealing than other
speakers or just a case of difference attention on the part of the listener
- me.
Again on the topic of paying attention to one's older material, I needed
cheering up one afternoon, so I popped on Out of the Blue, and that worked a
treat, coming out of the Fusions. The 'explosions' in the otherwise-acapella
fast section of "Turn to Stone" had the greatest impact I'd ever heard them.
Conclusions
The Fusion range, as represented by Fusion 2, must come in for
consideration as a cost-effective set of speakers. The units tested punch
above their weight, competing favorably with some others that are more
expensive, and certainly within their own price range. On the assumption that this is a
'balanced' range, I'd trust Tannoy such that you could extrapolate the
Fusion 2 findings over the entire range.
The frequency response is perceptibly flat, and distortion was low at all
levels. Some speakers can sound constrained at low levels, needing plenty of
oomph before they get to you with any sort of impact. Not the Fusions -
they're involving at all levels. As mentioned earlier, an increase in bass
extension would be the main difference one should notice in comparison with
full-range floor-standers. If that’s your market, there’s a Fusion option
available and I’d guess well worth auditioning. For bookshelf units, I think
I've praised the Fusion's response enough to let you know that they handle
that aspect of listening very well in their own right.
My overall reaction to Fusion is 'smooth'. Nothing to annoy, low
distortion, involving, interesting with impact and absolutely fabulous value
for the money. I still prefer the 'open', probably colored, sound of the
classic Goodmans speakers but can't stop wondering "now where could I put a
pair of Fusions? Extensions in the dining room perhaps? Around the TV for
surround? In the spare bedroom as Hi-Fi for guests?" The possibilities seem
to be endless!
- Graham Vine -